HEARTLESS thieves ransacked the bedroom of a blind disabled child destroying her most treasured possessions before stealing the rest.

They struck on Saturday night and now the family of 12-year-old Addeba Hussain say they are terrified the thieves will return.

Tasveer, 31, mother of Addeba, said she is “sickened” by the raid and believes her daughter, who has cerebral palsy, severe learning difficulties, epilepsy, a curvature of the spine and cannot walk or talk - was targeted because of her vulnerability.

Mrs Hussain said: “All I have done since Saturday is cry - I am so sickened by this.

“To steal from anybody is wrong but to steal from a disabled child who cannot defend herself or shout for help is disgraceful - they should feel ashamed.”

The thieves struck when the house was empty.

Addeba was in respite care, her mother was at the cinema with her other daughter Nafeesa, nine, and Addeba’s father Ashiq, 46, is in Pakistan visiting his ill elderly father.

Mrs Hussain said: “I’m just so glad Addeba wasn’t here when it happened - who knows what they would have done to her.”

Mrs Hussain, who is a full time carer for Addeba, said she thinks the thieves must have been watching the house.

Mrs Hussain said: “I never ever go out. I’m just an ordinary mum who looks after her children. But that weekend was the first time this year that I was supposed to get a break.

“Addeba was offered respite care for a weekend so I went to the cinema with my sister-in-law.”

Mrs Hussain says she left the house on Egmont Road, Middlesbrough, at 6pm and returned at 11.30pm to find that the house has been raided.

“They got in through the kitchen window and came through to Addeba’s bedroom,” she said.

“You can clearly see that the room belongs to a disabled child with the ceiling hoist, specialist bed and equipment. But they broke her disco light ball which I put on for her at bedtime, took all her Disney CDs and DVDs, her orange cat money box with over £20 in it.

“Plus they took her necklace which was 22 carat gold, her two rings and even her Peter Rabbit ornaments.”

The thieves continued to plunder the house taking a Sony camcorder, a Fuji digital camera with memory card containing all the family’s pictures, £350 benefit money, loose change, two mobile phones, a Nintendo Wii and Mrs Hussain’s wedding jewellery set.

Tesco in Coulby Newham has agreed to help replace some of the missing CDs and DVDs by donating £50 in vouchers. A spokesperson for the store said: “We are happy to support Addeba and we cannot believe that someone would do something like that.”

Police are appealling to anyone with information to contact PC Kim Burrell on 01642 303126.